Al-Qur'an Surah Az-Zumar Verse 58

Mufti Taqi Usmani

or, (lest) someone should say when he sees the punishment, “Would that I have a chance to return, so that I may become one of those who are good in their deeds.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Or say, upon seeing the torment, ‘If only I had a second chance, I would have been one of the good-doers.’

Ruwwad Translation Center

or says, upon seeing the punishment, “If only I had another chance, I could be among those who do good.”

A. J. Arberry

it should say, when it sees the chastisement, 'O that I might return again, and be among the good-doers.'

Abdul Haleem

Or, faced by punishment, it says, “If only I could have another chance, I would join those who do good!”

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Or lest it should say, when it will behold the torment: were there for me a return I would be of the well-doers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Or (lest) it should say when it (actually) sees the penalty; 'If only I had another chance, I should certainly be among those who do good!'

Abul Ala Maududi

or lest he should say, when he sees the chastisement: “O that I might return again, and be among those who do good.”

Ahmed Ali

Or say on seeing the punishment: "If I could only return I would be among the good."

Ahmed Raza Khan

Or (so that no soul) may say when it beholds the punishment, “If only I may be sent back, so that I may do good deeds!”

Ali Quli Qarai

Or say, when he sights the punishment, ‘If only there were a second chance for me, I would be among the virtuous!’

Ali Ünal

Or (lest it) should say when it sees the punishment, "If only I had a second chance (to live), so that I could be among those devoted to doing good, aware that God is seeing them!"

Amatul Rahman Omar

Or lest anyone of you should say when he sees the punishment, `If I could only have the chance to return (to the world), I (too) would then be of those who do good.´

English Literal

Or it says when it sees the torture: "If that (E) for me (is) a return/repeat/second time , so I be from the good doers."337

Faridul Haque

Or (so that no soul) may say when it beholds the punishment, “If only I may be sent back, so that I may do good deeds!”

Hamid S. Aziz

Or should say when it sees the punishment, "O, if I only had another chance that I might be among the righteous!"

Hilali & Khan

Or (lest) he should say when he sees the torment: "If only I had another chance (to return to the world) then I should indeed be among the Muhsinun (good-doers - see V. 2:112)."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Or it should say: Had Allah guided me, I should have been dutiful;

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Or it should say when it sees the punishment: Were there only a returning for me, I should be of the doers of good.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Or should say, when it seeth the doom: Oh, that I had but a second chance that I might be among the righteous!

Muhammad Sarwar

Or, on seeing the torment, it would say, "Would I have the opportunity, this time I would certainly become a pious person".

Qaribullah & Darwish

Or, lest when it sees the punishment should say: 'O that I might return, and be among those that did good'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Or (lest) he should say when he sees the torment: "If only I had another chance, then I should indeed be among the doers of good."

Wahiduddin Khan

Or, he may say as he sees the punishment, "Would that I had a second chance, so that I could be among the doers of good."

Talal Itani

Or say, when it sees the penalty, “If only I had another chance, I would be of the virtuous.”

Tafsir jalalayn

or [before] that it should say, when it sees the chastisement, `If only there had been a second chance, a return to this world, I would be among the virtuous', the believers. It is then said to him by God;

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Or (lest) he should say;"If only Allah had guided me, I should indeed have been among those who have Taqwa ". Or he should say when he sees the torment;"If only I had another chance, then I should indeed be among the doers of good."

means, he will wish that he could go back to this world, so that he could do righteous deeds.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

"Allah tells us what His servants will say before they say it and what they will do before they do it. He says;

وَلَا يُنَبِّيُكَ مِثْلُ خَبِيرٍ

And none can inform you like Him Who is the All-Knower, (35;14)

أَن تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يَا حَسْرَتَى علَى مَا فَرَّطتُ فِي جَنبِ اللَّهِ وَإِن كُنتُ لَمِنَ السَّاخِرِينَ


أَوْ تَقُولَ لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ هَدَانِي لَكُنتُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ


أَوْ تَقُولَ حِينَ تَرَى الْعَذَابَ لَوْ أَنَّ لِي كَرَّةً فَأَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ


Lest a person should say;"Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to Allah, and I was indeed among those who mocked." Or he should say;"If only Allah had guided me, I should indeed have been among those who have Taqwa." Or he should say when he sees the torment;"If only I had another chance, then I should indeed be among the doers of good."

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "The Messenger of Allah said;

كُلُّ أَهْلِ النَّارِ يَرَى مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَقُولُ لَوْ أَنَّ اللهَ هَدَانِي فَتَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ حَسْرَةً قال وَكُلُّ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ يَرَى مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ فَيَقُولُ لَوْلَا أَنَّ اللهَ هَدَانِي قال فَيَكُونُ لَهُ شُكْرًا

Each of the people of Hell will be shown his place in Paradise and he will say, "If only Allah had guided me!" so it will be a source of regret for him.

And each of the people of Paradise will be shown his place in Hell and he will say, "If it were not for the fact that Allah guided me," so it will be a cause of thanks."

It was also narrated by An-Nasa'i. When the sinners wish that they could return to this world so that they could believe the Ayat of Allah and follow His Messengers, Allah will say;

بَلَى قَدْ جَاءتْكَ ايَاتِي فَكَذَّبْتَ بِهَا وَاسْتَكْبَرْتَ وَكُنتَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ